SBP recognizes only those bodies which implement NSP

Lahore: The Sports Board Punjab (SBP) on Friday said that the Punjab Stadium and other venues of the province are available for the National Games to be held from October 16 to 22 to stage the grand event in a befitting manner. “There is no delay on the part of the SBP in any manner and we are fully prepared to organize the event as far as the provision of funds and availability of grounds is concerned,” said a spokesman of SBP here on Thursday.

“We had meetings with the Punjab Olympic Association (PbOA) officials on holding of the games and at the same time, we made it clear to them that we will be following the direction of the Pakistan Sports Board in the light of Supreme Court’s decision for the implementation of the national sports policy which bars any office-bearer for remaining in office for the third successive time,” he said. “The SBP is striving for the cause of sports in the province and it recognizes only those sports bodies which have implemented the National Sports Policy and in the given circumstances, the present office-bearers had no legal status as they have completed two successive terms in office,” he asserted.

He said their only desire is to see that the Provincial Olympic Association and its allied bodies are being run by the legal office-bearers and that is why the matter of holding the games was delayed by PbOA because it did not pay any attention to the direction of the Supreme Court for the PSB for implementing the sports policy. “The PbOA is leveling baseless allegations that the Games are being postponed over the non-availability of the necessary funds and the grounds,” he added. He said that the funds and grounds are readily available for organizing the National Games and the SBP had intimated the officials of the PbOA in this regard. He said: “SBP is taking every measure to promote the games in the province and holding of the Games is a part of its sports development plan.”